After the Titanic
by Charlotte-Cullen-x
Summary: AU- Jack lives, but he is drastically ill due to his near death experience. When Cal discovers Jack and Rose, what will happen?
1. Chapter 1 Waking up

Hey guys, this story is AU. It is about what would have happened if the lifeboats had reached Jack and Rose a little earlier- when Jack was still alive. Jack is in a coma.

**Chapter 1- Jack's POV**

"Jack? Jack?"

The voice was a distant whisper in the darkness. But it soothed me, and all I wanted to do was find the source of it. I struggled, trying to find my way through the darkness, trying to identify any sign of light or colour or _life_. But it was too hard and I couldn't do it alone, couldn't find the strength in me to move. I relaxed again, giving up.

The voice sounded again and I listened carefully, it seemed to be the only sign that I could still be alive.

"I'm here Jack. I'll always be here. I'll never let go."

The last words shot through me like an electric shock as the memories flooded my brain. The water, the freezing water around my shaking skin was the most powerful memory; I could still feel the numbness in my muscles where it had affected me. I remembered thinking it that the bitter cold of the water was worth it, I could spend the last moments with the girl I loved...

Rose.

**Rose's POV**

Jack looked so peaceful...so beautiful that it scared me. I sat there in the hospital, next to his bed. I hadn't left there for two days, ignoring the nurse's attempts to make me leave, ignoring her effort to explain to me that Jack would probably never wake up from his coma.

All I wanted to do was see his beautiful blue eyes again, to see his lips curve into that familiar crooked smile and feel my heart skip a beat when they did.

It had been one week after the Titanic sank but it felt more like a year. I prayed to God everyday to make Jack wake up. To make him come back to me. I wanted an entire life with him, and that didn't even seem to be enough.

I was telling him how beautiful he was, and how much I missed just talking to him, and laughing with him. The windows were open, and it was twilight. The sky was full of reds and oranges and pinks that made me think of the time we were stood on the bow of the titanic, looking out on the ocean in front of us and the stunning fiery colours of the sky. I remembered the way I felt, like I was a bird flying with no care in the world. I remembered Jacks hands on mine, the way he had entwined my fingers with his, the way he touched his lips for the first time to mine, kissing me like I had never been kissed before. It was like I was kissing an angel.

I was reminding Jack of this then, and the many times before and after that when we had had such a great time together. Right now I was reminiscing the time we had danced together when we were in third class.

"I love dancing with you Jack" I told his unconscious being, kissing the hand I held, "When you wake up, we can go dancing again." I smiled, thinking of the difference of the world I wanted to live in and the world I grew up in. I wanted to dance properly, with loud music and the quick, messy rhythm. I even wanted there to be rowdy men, fighting with each other over silly little things. I wanted to dance like we had that night.

Suddenly I felt the gentle pressure in the palm of my hand. Distracted by it, I stopped talking for a minute, and glanced at the nurse when she walked in. I didn't want to say anything, but my conversation with Jack continued in a more determined way.  
"I felt you squeeze my hand just then" I said clearly. "I want you to do it again"

I waited for what seemed like a long time, the nurse watching curiously, but nothing happened. The nurse looked away.

"Do it again, Jack. Squeeze my hand. I want you to really try."

And then, as though he was reaching back from another world, he did.

My face broke into a broad smile, tears in my eyes and the joy surged through me as I comprehended that Jack could be waking up.

"That was wonderful!" I exclaimed, encouraging him. I saw the nurse turn back, watching us with more interest than before.

"Now I want you to open your eyes. Just a tiny bit...I'm looking at you Jack. I want you to look at me"

There was no sign of life in his face, but then his fingers moved again and I wondered if it was just a random reflex, my heart sinking. Just as I was getting discouraged, he wrinkled his nose, his eyes still closed and I realised he was trying to open his eyes. I felt my heart race, he was coming back.

"That was a funny face" I laughed. "How about a little smile?"

There were tears rolling down my cheeks as I spoke to him, all my effort, strength and love focused on him. The nurse stood firm in place as she watched, she had clearly seen the quick grimace Jack had made.

"Will you smile for me? I missed you. I love you" I was begging him, willing him to come back. I wanted to pull him out if the abyss where he'd been. I sat there for another half an hour, watching him make little movements as time progressed.

He opened his eyes for a second, and I saw the cornflower blue irises meet mine, but then shut them quickly as though it was too much effort. The nurse was on his other side now, checking his heartbeat, which she told me had quickened. She was mumbling to herself about how this was impossible, how his body had almost froze and it was impossible to recover this quickly. But Jack was strong, stronger than anyone I had ever met before and I knew he could do it. He was going to be alright.

Then his eyes opened again, and he kept them open for a good ten seconds, staring at me with such familiarity that made my heart almost burst with elation.

"I...love...you" he croaked, smiling a small little smile and then closed his eyes again, relaxing.

I didn't think it was possible to feel such ecstasy than at that moment. It was the first time he had told me that and I couldn't believe he was back...that we could spend all the time we wanted with each other for the rest of our lives.

The nurse told me we should let him rest so I stopped encouraging him to move and I sat there beside him all night, holding his hand. The nurse left us then, giving us some privacy. I couldn't believe my luck. An hour ago I thought I could have lost him...but now...

I loved him and he loved me and that was all that mattered.

It was around midnight when the nurse walked back into the room. She looked worried.

"There is someone downstairs waiting for you" she told me, and I heard her voice quiver, "he said he is your fiancé"

I stood up, my mood suddenly grew dark again.

"Who is it?" I asked her sternly

"A Man called Hockley. Caldon Hockley. He wants you to leave with him." And then her voice turned into a whisper, "he is with the police"

I glanced in angst back at Jack. How did he find us?

**End of Chapter 1**

**Can't wait to write more chapters- I hoped you liked this one!  
**


	2. Jack the Criminal

**A/N- Hey thanks for the good reviews on the first chapter, I hope you enjoy this one. I hope this will be a long story. And I'm sorry it look almost a month to update x **

**Jack's POV  
**

I was fully awake now, if not exhausted by my feeble attempts to move and talk. But it didn't matter, I had seen Rose again, heard her sweet little voice. She had brought me back from the darkness and I was entirely grateful.

But I had to be a fool to not know something was going on. I opened my eyes long enough to see where Rose had gone, she had let go of my hand. The nurse and Rose were huddled into a corner of the room, and Rose had a stricken expression. She kept on darting her glances from the window to the door and I could hear her muttering to the Nurse. Something about Hockley. Who was Hockley? I scanned my memory, trying to remember all the people I had met on the Titanic. No, I didn't remember any Hockley.

But then Rose muttered another name. Cal. I remembered that name. The strong features of the tall, intimidating man that was due to marry Rose filled my mind. If I could have found the strength to gulp, I would have. But all I could do now was feel the dread bubbling up inside of me. He had come for Rose.

**Rose's POV**

I darted my glance back to Jack and noticed he was looking at me wistfully with his beautiful blue eyes. I rushed to his side and held his hand again.  
"What's...wrong" he croaked.

"Nothing. Nothing you should worry about"  
His eyes grew impatient and I looked into them reproachfully. I could tell he already knew what was wrong; his eyes had the same amount of anxiety in them as I felt. I glanced swiftly at the Nurse, who was watching us with concern. When she saw me looking, she turned for the door, her eyes questioning. I knew she was wondering what she should do, if she should pass a message on to Cal.

"Cal's here" I muttered to Jack, stroking his forehead with my fingertips, "I'm not quite sure what to do."

Jack seemed pleased I was being honest with him. He tightened his grip on my hand.  
"Rose?" he asked, after a moment, and his voice was worried. I suddenly regretted what I had said to him, identifying the double meaning. Jack thought I wasn't sure whether to stay with him or leave with Cal. His face was twisted in pain and he groaned.

"I don't want to leave you" I reassured him, "I just don't know how we can escape Cal"

Jack closed his eyes, a smile forming at his lips and I smiled with him for a moment. A brief moment when everything seemed to be ok again. But it didn't last long.

I didn't notice until that moment that the nurse had left the room. She came hurriedly back in now, huffing like she had been running fast.

"He's coming up the stairs!" she told me between rasps for breath, "There are two officers with him. They say Jack is a criminal. That he stole some priceless jewel." She eyed Jack like he was a criminal and I immediately felt irritation at her quick assumption.

I heard Jack groan again. The heart of the ocean. The beautiful, blue rare diamond that Cal had snidely planted in Jack's pocket to give him an excuse for arrest, the one I had found in the pocket of the jacket Cal had given me at the sinking just a few days ago. And now, Cal was using it again. I frantically tried to remember where I had put the jacket, but I couldn't think. I practically lived in the hospital now but it wasn't here. I considered the hotel room I was staying at, but that room was practically empty. I didn't have many possessions left, a few dresses and essentials given to me by the people on the _Carpathia_ and that was practically it.

The men's footsteps were easily identifiable now. I bit my lip, gave Jack a quick kiss on the forehead before heading out of the door, and into the brightly lit corridor. I heard Jack mumble "don't" before I quickly shut the door.

There he was, his face had a slightly smug expression, and his eyes showed no emotion when they met my fearful ones. He was wearing posh clothes as normal, and his ordeal didn't seem to have any effect on his personality. I watched his arrogant stride as he moved up the corridor, stopping just a few feet in front of me. A sadistic smile was playing on his lips as he politely bowed to me, acting out I supposed. I wasn't looking forward to being alone with him.

I didn't move an inch.

He was with two officers. One seemed confused at being in a hospital, his dark features grimacing at the dingy corridor. The other was glaring at me with accusation, he seemed almost glad that I was scared of what was going on and he, I thought, would have believed anything Cal told him.

"Rose, that's no way to greet your fiancé" Cal said, treating me as if I was a five year old girl caught doing something mischievous.

"You're not my fiancé" I told him, acid in my voice.

Cal's smile faltered, but before I could see it fade completely he turned to face the two officers behind him, "Do you mind if you leave us alone for a few minutes?"

They agreed, immediately trusting him. Fools. They entered a room at the very bottom of the hall, where the stairs were.

Cal waited until their footsteps had completely gone until he turned to me and I gasped. His expression was livid and he no longer tried to hide the anger in his eyes. I was terrified, and backed against the wall. I had never seen him like this. I remembered the way he shot at me and Jack when we tried to get away from him and I shivered in fright.

"You thought I would have been so stupid" He spat, "So stupid to assume that Rose _Dawson_ wasn't you?"

The anger suddenly ruled over the fright and I levelled myself again, standing up straight. How I loathed him!

"I don't love you Cal" I told him spitefully, "I never did"

He made what seemed like a growl in response and grabbed my wrist in an iron-tight clasp that hurt. I winced, but he didn't care.

"Your coming with me" he said, "I don't care about your opinion. I don't care if you prefer sewage rats" I narrowed my eyes at his description of Jack, "You don't have a choice!"

I wrestled my way out of his grip. His skin was cold on my wrist, and it left an unpleasant sensation there. He was expecting this and he grabbed me again, this time by my forearms. I writhed and wriggled but he didn't let go. I felt sick when I realised he was enjoying my struggling.

"Jack is not a sewage rat" I hissed, "With him I'm happy. I'd rather _die_ than live the rest of my life with you!"  
His fist came before I was ready for it. With one swift punch at my cheekbone, he knocked me to the ground. I knelt there gasping, clutching my burning cheek.

Cal glared down at me with a satisfied look. I managed to get to my feet, and pretended the pain wasn't there. I noticed the nurse behind Cal, she had witnessed everything.

"What are you doing?" She told a livid Cal, rushing beside me to examine my cheekbone, "You should never hit a lady!"  
Cal looked slightly embarrassed that she had seen him, and struggled to meet my eyes. I tried to stare him out, boring my eyes into the side of his head. He never so much as glanced my way.

"Excuse me, but I don't see why any of this is your business. This woman is my fiancée and I have just come to fetch her back to where she rightfully belongs"  
The nurse looked confused, she g lanced between the two of us, at my angered face and at Cal's much more calm one. She realised he was speaking the truth and backed away from us, and walked into Jack's room again. I suddenly felt a wave of defeat; I knew I would lose this battle.

Cal had a sadistic smile on his face again. "Well, shall we?" he said, gesturing towards the door.

When I didn't budge, he sighed. "The police have been told that Mr. Dawson stole away you're..." he raised his eyebrow suggestively "...virtue while we were on the Titanic, and he will be arrested as soon as he leaves the hospital" he laughed cruelly, "_if_ he leaves the hospital"  
I gasped. Cal had told the police Jack raped me? He had been accused of stealing...and raping? I remembered back to a time when I thought I loved Cal, when I thought of him as handsome and a gentleman. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The policemen had entered the room now, and one of them roughly grabbed me by the arm, and practically dragged me towards the door.

"NO!" I screamed, "JACK!"

Cal took a needle from his pocket. "I didn't want to have to do this Rose" he told me with a smirk that made me think he did want to do it. He injected the fluid into my arm while I tried to struggle against the man's grasp. I suddenly felt drowsy, and blackness fell over me. But just before the darkness came I saw Cal look in the policeman's direction and say,  
"So, don't you think a suitable punishment for Mr. Dawson would be death?"

**A/N- I am so sorry I left it on a cliff hanger. I love leaving things on cliff hangers though, because it brings me more readers! Please tell me if I have poor grammar anywhere in this chapter, or if I have misspelled something.**

**Thank you to those who have left such nice comments. I feel great whenever I read a new one so please, if you haven't reviewed...please do!**


	3. Alone and Confused

**_I love the response to this story. Not only thank you to the reviewers, but to those who have put my story in their favourites or subscribed to it also! _**

**_I am sorry it took so long. You see, I went to Ireland to visit my relatives over Easter. I actually visited Cobh, which is the last place the Titanic came to port. It was really interesting. Well, interesting for me as I am obsessed with anything and everything Titanic! X_**

**_Here is chapter 3, I'm sorry it isn't longer. One of these days I will write a really long chapter, I promise!_**

**Chapter 3**

**Rose's POV**

**A month later**

I lay down on my bed and cried once again. I must have cried a river in the last few months. Cal had successfully kept me prisoner in the same hotel room for almost a month now, and the countless times I had tried to escape had consequence in me being dragged back up here forcefully and beat with his belt. I had criss-cross marks on my back from the force the used with that damn belt, some hadn't even healed yet.

What kept me going was thinking of Jack. I tried not to think of the version of him I had kissed on the forehead and left to get arrested. I tried to think of him as the wonderful, confident, smart, absolutely amazing man that could escape any troubles he may come across. I knew he would try with all his might to find a way out of this. I knew I would try too.

It had been almost a month and I was slowly becoming weaker without him. I felt guilty for allowing Cal to take me, allowing him to drag me to a luxurious hotel room even though Jack was struggling to even move in that poor excuse for a hospital.

Cal had been so vile. He had me guarded in my room at all hours and only served me one meal a day. I had grown considerably frail and thin, I think he only did it so I would become weak enough to lose the strength to fight against him. In the last month I had achieved giving him a black eye and several bruises, which I was immensely proud of. He returned them by locking me in the closet of the hotel room for several hours, without food or water and in the complete dark or hitting me back, giving me worse injuries. Never-the-less, it was worth it.

Worst of all, he constantly talked of Jack, murmuring about the penalty of his 'crimes' when he knew I could here. I felt my heart stop and a horrific bout of fear seize me whenever he mentioned the word 'hanging'. There was no way they could do that to Jack, not without a fair trial!

The maids never suspected anything. Whenever they would come to clean the room, Cal would drape me with a shawl to cover my bruises and cuts, and sit me on a chair with a book. He would stand beside me and, very discreetly, hold a penknife to my ribs, warning me to tell the maids of anything that was going on there.

I remembered the day when I first found myself here, the day when I was foolish enough to speak up.

**A month earlier**

_I woke up groggily, groaning as I realised I must have been asleep for hours. I recognised the soft, comfortable feeling of a mattress under me and a well plumped pillow supporting my head. Something I had grown unaccustomed to while sleeping at the hospital._

_The hospital. Jack. Cal. Oh no!_

_I sat up quickly, earning a head rush. I groaned, clutching my head in my hands as the dizzy spell hit. But before I could dwell on it any longer, I heard a chuckle from outside the doorway. I froze._

"_Is she still sleeping?"_

"_Yes, it's been almost 13 hours; you'd think she would have woken up by now."_

_It was Cal's voice definitely, and a voice I didn't recognise. I made sure not to make any sound as I moved my head to get a look at my surroundings. It seemed like some sort of expensive hotel room. The furnishings were mainly made out of mahogany wood, and lined with red shades of satin and silk. There were what seemed to be expensive ornaments on the mantelpiece of a great wooden fireplace and behind that was a huge gold framed mirror. I got a sense of déjà vu as I scanned the room, it reminded me of the Titanic's first class suites, it was so elegant. I shivered, thinking of the fact that that the room I had stayed in, along with my copies of the beautiful Monet paintings I loved, were now under the ocean. What had been the most luxurious ship in history had quickly become a watery grave._

_I noticed a dark blue dress laid down for me on the bed, along with court shoes and a day hat. _

_A maid was on the other side of the room, smiling cheerfully at me as she polished the wooden furnishings._

"_Hello, Miss. I hope you had a good night's rest. May I offer you some breakfast?"_

_I must have looked frantic because she glanced at me curiously. "Is everything alright Miss?"_

_I shook my head and she frowned. _

"_Please" I whispered, "You have to get me out of here. They are holding me captive. I need to get to St. Johns hospital in New York. Please, you have to help me"_

_She was looking at me with wide eyes no, looking as confused as ever. I wondered what story Cal had spun her._

"_That won't be necessary" I heard his voice behind me, and like always it sent chills down my spine. I spun around to find him standing there with a glare on his face. The glare was for me._

_He walked towards the maid who immediately flinched away from him. "Mr...Mr. Hockley, sir. I was just cleaning the room" she told him in a trembling voice._

_He ignored her. "Miss Bukater here has had a traumatic experience. Of course you have heard about the Titanic, haven't you?" She nodded, curious. He smirked before carrying on._

"_Well, she was dragged on board a lifeboat after being in freezing cold water for several hours. She must have had a terrifying experience because she quickly became delusional. Ever since then, she has been accusing people of holding her captive and many other appalling and ridiculous things." The maid was nodding in understanding now and throwing probing glances at me. I'm sure my face looked completely in shock._

"_I understand, Mr. Hockley. I know what that sort of thing can do to people." She agreed. How gullible was she? Surely when they took me into the hotel when I was drugged, I must have looked suspicious._

_Cal dug in his pocket and drew out a ten dollar note, which was a very valuable tip for a maid, and the maid's eyes widened hungrily as she looked at it. He slid the ten dollar note into her hand which she immediately tucked into her pocket. Probably frightened he would change his mind._

"_We would prefer it if Miss. Bukater's mental state didn't spread around this hotel through gossip" he told her sternly. She nodded and he excused her._

"_Wait!" I called out, "You can't believe him! He-" But I was cut off by a hand suddenly slamming to my mouth. I cringed at the force of it. That would definitely cause a bruise._

"_What do you think you are doing, Rose?" He sneered, "I think it's time you learned some manners." He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled tightly, causing me to whimper against his palm. He wiped away the tear that was falling down my cheek roughly and twisted me round so I was facing him._

_The steely, cold look in his eyes was frightening and I cringed away from him. But he just buried his face in my hair, to my complete disgust. I could feel his lips tracing the side of my face and I tried to wriggle out of his grasp. But it was no good. He held my wrists together in an iron-tight clasp._

"_Hmm...Rose. You smell as good as you did when you actually cared for your appearance" The snide tone in his voice was dominant. He knew this was getting to me._

_I bit down hard on his palm, causing him to yell out in pain and jerk his hand away from my mouth. I could taste blood._

"_You bitch!" he yelled slapping me hard across the face. He took off his belt and told me to lay down on my front. When I didn't comply he grabbed my neck and forced me down, at the same time beating me profusely with his belt._

_After ten minutes he put his belt back on and stepped away from my crying, bleeding state. He looked at my clothes in disgust, the clothes that had been donated by the _Carpathia_ and were now stained with blood from my beating._

"_Put something decent on, Rose. You look like you should work in a factory"_

_And with that, he left, leaving me alone with my bleeding back and my rushing tears._

**A/N- Ok, that is chapter 3. Next chapter will be Jack's POV. I hope to write it sooner than I wrote this one!**

**R&R xxx**


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